A landmark lawsuit accusing California and the City of Los Angeles of mishandling the Lachman Fire, which ignited the deadly Palisades Fire, is now officially moving forward in court.
According to the New York Post, the fires together claimed 12 lives and caused billions of dollars in damage, with the potential for the state and city to face tens of billions more.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Samantha Jester’s ruling clears the way for fire victims and insurance companies to pursue claims against both government entities.
“The city is already financially distressed,” said Alex “Trey” Robertson, lead attorney representing thousands of victims. “Mayor Bass is running for reelection, and this is the last thing she needs. Once further evidence of the cover-up of what actually happened and caused this fire comes to light, it’s gonna be a really bad day for Karen Bass.”
The lawsuit claims that hot spots from the Lachman Fire were not fully extinguished, ultimately igniting the Palisades Fire a week later.
It also alleges that the city failed to supply water and did not cut power, creating hazardous conditions on public property.
“This is the first case ever that there’s no precedent for holding a city liable for a failure to supply water to fight a fire,” Robertson said. He added that a draft of the Palisades After-Action Fire Report, obtained by The Post, shows evidence that the mayor’s office “put their thumbprint on the scale.”
The report was later edited before its public release, raising questions about whether officials softened the language to limit criticism.
Mayor Karen Bass has denied making edits, saying she only reviewed an early draft and asked the Fire Department to verify accuracy.
Robertson said upcoming firefighter depositions could deliver “jaw-dropping” revelations. “They have 30 days to make that final determination whether they are going to stand on that position that 100% of firefighters’ testimony is confidential, which of course is not,” he said.
Dozens of insurance companies have joined the lawsuit, seeking billions in reimbursement for paid-out claims.
“They rolled the dice, and they lost, and now they’re gonna have to potentially pay all of these thousands of fire victims to prove our case,” Robertson added.
The next court date is scheduled for March 18, when both sides will present a plan to begin the discovery process.
